solter



(No Model.) I 2Sheets-Sheet 1 J. SOLTER. j CAN MAKING MACHINE. No.577,458. Patented Peb.'23, 1897.

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CAN MAKING MACHINE. v

Paentsdfeb 23, 1897.; I

llllmmm UNITED STAT S PATENT- QFFIQE.

JOHN SOLTER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN R.

MITCHELL, OF SAME PLACE.

CAN- MAK|NG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,458, dated February23, 1897.

Application filed June 23, 1896.- $eria1N0- 596,618. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN SOLTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Can- Making Machinery, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to the manufacture of sheet-metal cans, andparticularly to means for preparing the body-blank, so that the sideedges of the same may be interlocked for forming the side seam.

It is my object to produce a machine of simple construction by which thework may be carried on efficiently and expeditiously.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the machine;Fig. 2, a section transversely thereof; Fig. 8, aside view of theclamping and breaking mechanism; Fig. 4, a plan View of Fig. 3, and Fig.5 an end view of Fig. 3. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 show the different stepsin the operation of the breakrollers.

The sheet-metal blanks are placed upon an endless carrier-belt whichpasses around carrier-wheels 2, journaled in brackets at the front andrear of the machine, the front wheel having connected therewith aratchet-wheel which is operated step by step through a pawl 3, a lever4, pivoted at 5 and connected through a pitman 6 with a gear-wheel 7, journaled in a bracket 8, depending from the main frame, the pitmanconnection being eccentric, so that the revolution of the gearwheel willoscillate the pawl-lever and at each movement the carrier-belt will bemoved to the rear a sufficient distance to carry the blanks between thebreaking-rollers 8 and 9. The carrier-belt has projections to engage theblanks and feed them to the rear. As shown in Fig. 1, there are a pairof belts and carrierwheels, and the side edges of the sheet-metal blankproject over these bands, so as to move between the clamping-jaws 10 11,a pair of these jaws being located at each side of the carrier means andin direct line with the path of the projecting side edges of thecan-blank. The lower jaw 11 of each pair is fixed, being rigidly carriedby a base-plate 12, secured on the main table 13, and the upper jaw 10of each pair is movable, and as soon as the projecting edges or ends ofthe can-blank come between the fixed and movable jaws the movable jawsdescend and clamp these edges. The edges project inward beyond the jawsand into recesses 14 in the periphery of breaking-rollers 15, which arejourn'aled in bearings on the plate 12. The walls of these recesses formside stops for the edges of the can-blank, and there is a shoulder 16 onone side of the recess and a rounded shoulder 17 on the opposite side ofthe recess. The inner edges of the gripping-jaws have receding inclinedfaces, and in the detail view Fig. 6 the inclined face 18 of the lowerfixed jaw serves as the anvil or former surface upon which theprojecting edge of the can-blank is bent for this purpose.

In addition to the square shoulder and the rounded shoulder 17, thebreak-roller has a second shoulder 19, extending radially and preferablyformed by inserting a piece of hard material in the face of the roller.The bending of the edge of the blank is done simply by the rocking ofthe roller, and supposing the parts to be in position of Figs. 3 and 6if the roller is rocked over from right to left the square shoulder 16will be brought down upon the projecting edge of the blank, and thiswill be turned down at right angles to the body portion, as in Fig. 7,and upon the rocking of the roller in the opposite direction the roundedshoulder 17 will be moved in front of the right-angular edge of theblank to form a seat therefor, as in Fig. 8, and the square shoulder 19then coming into play will bend the right-angularblank over upon theinclined surface 18 at an acute angle to the body of the blank, as inFig. 9, after which the roller rocks back to normal position, (shown inFig. 3,) with the recess 14 in a central position to receive theprojecting edge of the next blank. The rounded shoulder 17 is of suchform that it prevents buckling of the right-angular bent edge of theblank under the action of the shoulder 19, it having a Wiping effect onthe bent edge and moving the same slightly at an angle to insure theproper bending by the shoulder 19.

The rocking of the rolleris effected through an oscillating orreciprocating drive-rod 20, extending along the front of the machine andoperated from a cam 21 011 a shaft 22, journaled in the main frame, saidcam having a groove to operate a lever 23. The upper end of this levercarries a roller fitting between projections secured to the side of thereciproeating bar 20, and the bar 520 carries also projections 26,between which fits a roller 27 of a lever 28, connected with thebreak-roller. These projections 26 may be adjustable to aceurately setthe roller in relation to the clamping-jaws.

The movable clamping-jaw is pivoted 011 a lever 10 in standards 27 ofthe plate 12, and said lever has an extension 28, to which a spring 29is attached, tending constantly to lift the movable jawlO from the jaw11. The movable jaw is closed upon the fixed jaw by means of a lever 30,journaled on a transverse pivot 31 of the standard 27 and having anadjusting'serew 32 at its end bearing upon the surface of theclamp-lever 10. The lever 30 has a forked front end carrying a roller33, which, when the clamping-jaws are open, fits into a depression 34:of a segment 35, fixed on a shaft 36, journaled in bearings 37, whichshaft has a depending arm 38, fixed thereto and extending to thedrive-rod 20, to which it is connected through a roller and projectionsin a manner similar to the depending lever 28 of the break-roller.

From this construction it will be seen that when the segment is rockedin either direction from the central normal direction of Fig. 3 theroller of the lever 30 will ride out of the depression 34c and upon thehigh part of the segment, and thus the elamp-le ver 10 will be forceddownwardly through the adj usting screw 32; and this clamping actiontakes place simultaneously with the rocking of the break -roller, sothat when either shoulder of said roller engages the can edge thecan-blank will at this time be firmly held by the clamping-jaws, andthis elampin g effect takes place in both the forward and the returnmovements of the breaking-roller.

It will be understood from Fig. 1 that the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 isduplicated, one

set being on one side of the carrier-belts and the other set being uponthe other side, the parts being simply reversed as to their location.

It will be also seen that the whole operation takes place through theaction of a single cam and the reciprocating drive-rod and that themechanism of the machine is reduced to a minimum number of elements. Thegearwheel 7, which operates the carrier mechanism, is in turn operatedthrough a gear 7 on the main cam-shaft 22.

The feeding mechanism, it will be seen, after having moved the blankinto the jaws is at rest, and while the bending of the blank is beingdone the pawl-lever is retracting for a quay be adjusted toward and fromeach other.

It will be understood that while I have designated the breaking means asoscillating breaking-rollers Ido not limit myself in this respect to aroller form of break device, the essential feature here being anoscillating device shouldered and acting on both of its strokes to bendthe metal.

I claim as my invention 1. 111 canmaking machinery, means for holdingthe can-blanks, and breaking-rollers arranged on fixed axis at oppositeedges of the said blanks, with means for oscillating the rollers abouttheir axis to bend the projecting edges of the blanks, the edges beingpartially bent as the rollers turn one way and completely bent as therollers turn in the reverse direction, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the gripping-jaws, the breaking-rollers, means foroscillating the rollers about their axis to bend the edges of the metal011 each stroke and means for feeding the blanks between thegripping-jaws to leave the edges of the same exposed to be e11- gaged bythe breaking-rollers, the axis of said break-rollers bearing a fixedrelation to the gripping-jaws, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the gripping-jaws for the can-blanks,breaking-rollers with means for moving the same, an endless carriermoving step by step in a constant forward direction to move the blanksbetween the jaws, said carrier remaining in its moved position until thecan-blank is bent, substantially as described.

4. In combination, clamping means, the breaking-rollers, arranged toengage the opposite edges of the blank, the step-by-step endless carrierarranged to feed the blanks with their edges projecting andpawl-andratchet mechanism for giving the carrier a step-by-stepmovement, the movement of the carrier being always forward and beingarrested during the bending of the edges, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the clamping-jaws for gripping the blanks, to leavethe edges exposed and break-rollers to engage the opposite edges of theblanks and means for partially rotating the rollers back and forth inopposite directions to bend one edge upwardly and the other downwardly,the said rollers bending the edges partially as they move one way andcompleting the bending as they return substantially as described.

6. In combination, the gripping-jaws, one of which has an inclined faceand a breakroller adapted to engage the projecting end of the can-blankto bend the same upon the inclined face, said roller having anoscillating movement to partially bend the blank as it moves one way andto bend it onto the inclined face as it returns, substantially asdescribed.

7. In combination, the gripping-jaws and a break-roller having aplurality of independent shoulders for bending the projecting end of thecan-blank, substantially as described.

8. In combination, the grippingjaws, a shouldered breaking-rollerarranged to have rotary oscillation, and means for oscillating thebreakroller to and fro to bring first one shoulder and then the otherinto contact with the projecting edge of the blank, substantially asdescribed.

9. In combination, means for holding the blank and a break-roller havinga shoulder 16, a rounded shoulder 17, with a recess between them and athird shoulder 19, substantially as described.

10. In combination, the holding means for the blank having an inclinedface 18, a breakroller having a recess, a shoulder on each side of thesame and a third shoulder adapted to force the edge of the blank upon aninclined face 18, and means for oscillating the breakroller,substantially as described.

11. In combination, means for holding the can-blanks, a break-roller andmeans for operating the break-roller and clamp comprising thereciprocating bar with connections to the break-roller and to the clamp,said connections comprising the roller connecting the drive-rod andbreak-roller and a second roller connected with the drive-rod and havingintermediate connections to the clamp, substantially as described.

12. In combination, the clamp comprising the movable jaw, theoscillating break-roller, the lever carrying the clamp, thereciprocating drive-rod, the connection between the same and thebreak-roller and means for operating the clamp-lever, comprising thesegment connected with the drive-rod, substantially as described.

13. In combination, the clamp comprising the movable jaw, theoscillating break-roller and means for controlling the clamp, comprisingthe oscillating segment and the reciprocating drive-bar for oscillatingboth the break-roller and the segment, substantially as described.

14. In combination, the clamp comprising the movable jaws, the levercarrying the same, the lever 30 having an adjustable connectiontherewith, the oscillating segment arranged to move the lever 30, theoscillating break-roller and means for moving said roller and segment,comprising the rollers connected with the break-roller and segmentrespectively and the drive-rod for moving said rollers, substantially asdescribed.

15. In combination, the clamp, comprising the movable jaw, the levercarrying the same having an extension, the spring controlling the same,the lever 30 having an adjustable connection with the clamp-lever, theoscillating segment arranged to operate the lever 30, the oscillatingbreak-roller and means for moving the same and the segment,substantially as described.

16. In combination, the two clamps, the two oscillatingbreaking-rollers, the drive-rod extending across the machine, means forreciprocating the same and vertically-extending arms connecting thedrive-rod and oscillating rollers and independent arms connecting thedrive-rod and clamps, substantially as described.

17. In combination, clamping means, the break-roller, the reciprocatingdrive-rod connected independently to said parts, the camshaft, the camand lever connected with the drive-rod, the feed-carrier, and means forgiving the same intermittent and constant forward movement, said meansbeing connected with the cam-shaft and being arranged to remainstationary during the bending of the edge of the blank, substantially asdescribed.

18. In combination, the clamps to hold the blank with its edge exposedand the oscillating roller arranged on a fixed axis and operating onsaid projecting end, said roller receiving the blank at its periphery,substantially as described.

19. In combination, the clamps andabreakroller having a back-and-forthmovement and bending the edge partially on one movement and completingthe bending on the return of the roller to normal position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of -two witnesses.

JOHN SOLTER.

Witnesses:

WALTER DONALDSON, HENRY E. OooPEE.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 577,458, granted February23, 1897, upon the application of John Solter, of Baltimore, Maryland,for an improvement in Gan-Making Machines, was erroneously issued toJohn R. Mitchell, as owner of the entire interest in said invention;that said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor, JohwSolter and John R. Mitchell, jointly, said John R. Mitchell being theassignee of one-half interest only in said patent, as shown by therecord of assignments in this Oflice; and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with this correction therein that the same may conform tothe record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 9th day of March, A. D. 1897.

JNO. M. REYNOLDS, Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[SEAL] Countersigned JOHN S. SEYMOUR,

Commissioner of Patents.

